Eli Lilly Drops Inhalable-Insulin Product

By

Avery Johnson

Updated March 8, 2008 12:01 a.m. ET

Eli Lilly and Co. is becoming the latest drug maker to abandon the once-promising concept of inhalable insulin for diabetic patients.

Lilly said late Friday that it is canceling trials of its AIR insulin product, which it was developing in concert with Alkermes Inc., of Cambridge, Mass. Alkermes earlier in the day had said it expected Lilly to discontinue developing the product. Both companies said the decision wasn't based on safety...